Mbeya Region Of Tanzania Research Articles

Rice Farmers’ Perceptions and Indicators for Weather Variability in Tanzania: What are the Obstacles for in situ Adaptations?

The study was conducted to cultivate the understanding of different weather perceptions as well as indicators by rice farmers of Mbarali and Kyela districts in Mbeya region of Tanzania. Primary and secondary data were obtained from the research area and Tanzania Meteorological Agency. Garret technique and Multipredictor logistic regression were applied for data analyses. The result shows that farmers have different perceptions on various weather variables like rainfall, temperature, drought, wind, and floods. Likewise with logistic regression is affirmed that awareness towards weather variations increased by 0.60 times and 2.0 times if farmer’s education and extended floods each increase one times respectively. In addition, various weather variability indicators like lack of enough rainfall, increase in temperature, drying of tender tree leaves, and severe sunshine were identified. More so, factors hampering immediate local adaptations to weather variability were also identified. Authors recommended on establishment of a working coordination mechanism by incorporating local perceptions, indicators, and adaptions to rescue rural communities from the ongoing food insecurity threats.

Households’ characteristics and perceptions of weather variability impact on rice yield: empirical analysis of small scale farmers in Tanzania

ABSTRACT: Rice farming is characterized by various factors including environmental and non-environmental factors. The current paper analyses the influence of households’ characteristics, and perceptions of weather variability on rice yield. Authors used primary data collected from small-scale rice farmers in the Mbeya region of Tanzania. Garret technique and Stata software were used for data analyses. Results confirmed that farmer’s education, marital status, gender, and land ownership have a positive influence on rice yield. Thus, for every 1% increase in each variable increases rice yield by 14%, 98%, 26%, and 21% respectively. Owing to empirical results on farmers’ perceptions, it is confirmed that if the drought period increased by 1%, would on average reduce rice yield by 20%. The majority of farmers (70%) have perceived that drought period reduced their rice yield. In addition, farmers’ used averagely less quantity of rice seeds which have impaired their rice yields. If farmers increased the seed quantity by 1%, rice yields would increase by 17%. Our findings also revealed that the previous market price has positive association with the next seasons’ rice yield. Therefore, our study concluded that among households’ variables and their perceptions have positive implications on rice yield; however, with the empirical analyses other variables were insignificant due to multicollinearity effects. Authors recommended to the government and other responsible organizations to capitalize on irrigation infrastructures, agricultural extension and technological services to restraint the enduring food insecurity coercions in Tanzania.

The role of short rotation coppice technology in fuelwood supply in Rungwe district, Tanzania

The roles of Short Rotation Coppice (SRC) Technology in fuelwood supply and offsetting CO2 emissions in the Tanzania and most African countries remain poorly understood. This study was carried in Rungwe District, Mbeya region in Tanzania, to determine trends, extent and drivers of adoption of SRC; identify various sources of household energy and assess the contribution of SRC to the total household fuelwood needs, and trees and shrub species used as sources of fuelwood. Data were collected using reconnaissance, field and social surveys and was analyzed using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS). Results revealed that, 97.5% of local community adopted the SRC technology since 1960s. Eucalyptus spp. are mostly planted in woodlots and field boundaries while Persea americana and Leucaena leucocephala are intercropped in farmlands. The survey indicated that out of 176 tons of fuelwood used annually, 73% comes from SRC technology, 25% from non-SRC technology, and only 2% is purchased to supplement household fuelwood shortage. Local communities depend heavily on biomass energy from woodlots and farmlands where tree species like Eucalyptus spp. plays a key role in meeting the energy demand. This study demonstrates that SRC technologies like woodlots, boundary planting, and intercropping in farmland hold high promise to meet the household energy demand. If promoted and backed with strong policies and supportive land tenure, these technologies may reduce the harvesting pressure on native forests for energy demand and contribute to climate change mitigation and adaptation.Int. J. Agril. Res. Innov. & Tech. 6 (1): 41-46, June, 2016

Protocol for the evaluation of a free health insurance card scheme for poor pregnant women in Mbeya region in Tanzania: a controlled-before and after study.

BackgroundThe use of demand-side financing mechanisms to increase health service utilisation among target groups and enhance service quality is gaining momentum in many low- and middle-income countries. However, there is limited evidence on the effects of such schemes on equity, financial protection, quality of care, and cost-effectiveness. A scheme providing free health insurance cards to poor pregnant women and their households was first introduced in two regions of Tanzania in 2011 and gradually expanded in 2012.MethodsA controlled before and after study will examine in one district the effect of the scheme on utilization, quality, and cost of healthcare services accessed by poor pregnant women and their households in Tanzania. Data will be collected 4 months before implementation of the scheme and 17 months after the start of implementation from a survey of 24 health facilities, 288 patients exiting consultations and 1500 households of women who delivered in the previous year in one intervention district (Mbarali). 288 observations of provider-client interactions will also be carried out. The same data will be collected from a comparison district in a nearby region. A process evaluation will ascertain how the scheme is implemented in practice and the level of implementation fidelity and potential moderators. The process evaluation will draw from impact evaluation data and from three rounds of data collection at the national, regional, district, facility and community levels. An economic evaluation will measure the cost-effectiveness of the scheme relative to current practice from a societal perspective.DiscussionThis evaluation will generate evidence on the impact and cost-effectiveness of targeted health insurance for pregnant women in a low income setting, as well as building a better understanding of the implementation process and challenges for programs of this nature.

Reflections on the Implementation of Competence Based Curriculum in Tanzanian Secondary Schools

This study investigated issues surrounding the implementation of competence based curriculum in Tanzanian secondary schools. The specific objectives of the study were to examine the teachers’ understanding of the objectives of competence based curriculum; to investigate the teachers’ abilities in preparing competence based lesson plans; to examine whether or not teachers involved students in classroom activities; and to find out whether or not teachers practiced formative students’ assessments as per the requirements of competence based curriculum. The respondents included 186 teachers who were randomly selected from 13 secondary schools found in Mbeya region of Tanzania. The data were collected through interview schedules, observation schedules, and review of documents. The collected data were analysed using thematic content analysis. The findings indicated that the majority (86%) of the interviewed teachers did not have the proper understanding of the objectives of competence based curriculum. In addition, the majority (78%) of the reviewed lesson plans did not reflect the qualities of a competence based lesson plan. Moreover, the involvement of students in classroom activities by the teachers who were observed was, in overall, very low. Lastly, teachers practiced formative students’ assessments in less than 50% of the observed classroom sessions. In view of these findings, it seemed that the implementation of competence based curriculum in the selected schools was ineffective. In view of these findings, it is recommended that regular training for in-service teachers should be conducted in order to enable them acquire up-to-date teaching skills as required by the changes introduced in the school curricula.

Atlas of health infrastructure for the Mbeya Region in Tanzania – Regional atlases as information source using geoinformation systems

The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare of the United Republic of Tanzania is the publisher of the first ‘Health Atlas, Health Service Availability in the Mbeya Region – Tanzania’. This atlas shows a comprehensive picture of the health infrastructure in the Mbeya Region in Tanzania. A variety of indicators for health care on the level of the supplying institutions is visualised with the help of thematic maps. The displayed information concerns the availability of health services in rural areas and gives an impression of spatial disparities. The atlas is a product of a geographic information system introduced in the region, where the contents are presented cartographically outside of the digital system in a clear manner so that they are accessible to a wider audience.

Ascaris lumbricoides Infection and Its Relation to Environmental Factors in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania, a Cross-Sectional, Population-Based Study

BackgroundWith one quarter of the world population infected, the intestinal nematode Ascaris lumbricoides is one of the most common infectious agents, especially in the tropics and sub-tropics. Infection is caused by oral intake of eggs and can cause respiratory and gastrointestinal problems. To identify high risk areas for intervention, it is necessary to understand the effects of climatic, environmental and socio-demographic conditions on A. lumbricoides infection.MethodologyCross-sectional survey data of 6,366 study participants in the Mbeya region of South-Western Tanzania were used to analyze associations between remotely sensed environmental data and A. lumbricoides infection. Non-linear associations were accounted for by using fractional polynomial regression, and socio-demographic and sanitary data were included as potential confounders.Principal FindingsThe overall prevalence of A. lumbricoides infection was 6.8%. Our final multivariable model revealed a significant non-linear association between rainfall and A. lumbricoides infection with peak prevalences at 1740 mm of mean annual rainfall. Mean annual land surface temperature during the day was linearly modeled and negatively associated with A. lumbricoides infection (odds ratio (OR) = 0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.78–0.97). Furthermore, age, which also showed a significant non-linear association (infection maximum at 7.7 years), socio-economic status (OR = 0.82, CI = 0.68–0.97), and latrine coverage around the house (OR = 0.80, CI = 0.67–0.96) remained in the final model.Conclusions A. lumbricoides infection was associated with environmental, socio-demographic and sanitary factors both in uni- and multivariable analysis. Non-linear analysis with fractional polynomials can improve model fit, resulting in a better understanding of the relationship between environmental conditions and helminth infection, and more precise predictions of high prevalence areas. However, socio-demographic determinants and sanitary conditions should also be considered, especially when planning public health interventions on a smaller scale, such as the community level.

Rock phosphate and lime for small-scale farming in Tanzania, East Africa

Poor soils are a major cause of poverty in sub-Saharan Africa, and thus restoration of soil fertility is a significant challenge for sustainable agriculture. Some of the main resources required, e.g. phosphate and lime, are present in many African countries and can be used by smallholder farmers in a relatively unprocessed form instead of expensive commercial fertilisers. Here we present a small study of the Mbeya region in Tanzania, which locally has both phosphate and lime. Most soils in sub-Saharan Africa are losing nutrients necessary for sustainable agriculture. This is mainly due to intensive farming and the fact that the nutrients are not replaced adequately. Further reasons for nutrient losses are leaching, soil erosion and fixation by iron and aluminium oxides. Vast areas experience moderate to acute phosphorus deficiency (Vanlauwe & Giller 2006). The Mbeya region in south-western Tanzania (Fig. 1) is characterised by intensive smallholder plots along with several local sources of phosphate-bearing rocks and limestone. The former were examined in the 1980s (Chesworth et al.1988, 1989), but have never been utilised (Kalvig et al. 2010).

Defining the human immunodeficiency virus type 1 transmission genetic bottleneck in a region with multiple circulating subtypes and recombinant forms

The Mbeya region of Tanzania has a genetically complex HIV epidemic with multiple subtypes and recombinant forms circulating, together with a high frequency of dual infections with more than one subtype. This study aimed to determine whether this impacted the HIV-1 transmission bottleneck. A total of 210 env sequences from 22 participants were generated from recently infected women from Mbeya using the single genome amplification approach. Participants were infected with subtypes C ( n = 9), A ( n = 4), or D ( n = 1), and recombinants AC ( n = 4), CD ( n = 2), AD ( n = 1), or ACD ( n = 1). Sixteen participants (73%) were infected with a single variant; five (23%) with multiple variants; and one (4%) was dually infected. Thus the frequency of single variant infections was similar to cohorts located in genetically restricted subtype B or C epidemics, suggesting that multiple circulating subtypes and unique recombinant forms do not have a significant impact on the transmission bottleneck.

HIV-1 diversity and prevalence differ between urban and rural areas in the Mbeya region of Tanzania

To characterize HIV-1 strains in a potential vaccine trial cohort (CODE) in the Mbeya region of southwest Tanzania. Study volunteers (n = 3096) were recruited from urban areas in Mbeya Town, using two different recruitment strategies, and in a nearby rural village. Cryopreserved plasma from 507 HIV-1 prevalent cases was the source of viral RNA for HIV-1 genotyping by the Multi-region Hybridization Assay, the MHA(acd), and selected strains were confirmed by complete genome sequencing. The overall HIV-1 prevalence was 16.6% [95% confidence interval (CI), 15.3-17.9] within the cohort. HIV-1 prevalence was higher among women, and in urban areas. Recruitment through advertisement targeted a high-risk urban male population for HIV-1 infection [adjusted odds ratio (adj. OR), 1.68; 95% CI, 1.13-2.51] when compared with men recruited door-to-door. The complexity of the HIV-1 epidemic was also higher in urban areas evidenced by the high-risk of HIV-1 infection with a recombinant strain (adj. OR, 2.69; 95% CI, 1.08-6.69) and HIV-1 dual infection (adj. OR, 5.16; 95% CI, 1.07-24.9), mainly driven by urban men recruited through advertisement. Overall the urban epidemic was more genetically complex, with higher prevalence and more recombinants and dual infections. Vaccine trials in Mbeya region can assess a complex HIV-1 population dynamic and determine vaccine efficacy in relationship to the genetic diversity of HIV-1 strains that challenge vaccines.

Improving service quality: experience from the Tanzania Family Health Project.

To improve the quality and uptake of reproductive health service in rural communities in Tanzania. Descriptive study of operational research. One and a half million people living in urban and rural communities in the Mbeya Region of Tanzania. Design and implementation of a range of service quality improvement measures. Management systems strengthening; clinical skills training; orientation of health staff to service quality; introduction of quality assurance systems; improvement to supervision systems; community involvement in monitoring health service delivery. Health service utilization rates; client perceptions of health service quality; situation analysis of health service provision. Uptake of reproductive health services increased; improved client perceptions of service quality; improved health infrastructure; increased community participation in health service management. Health service quality in sub-Saharan Africa can be improved substantially through a process of identifying and addressing the constraints which militate against effective service provision. The cost of such improvement is modest compared with current health expenditure. Health planners and managers involved in sectoral reform programmes should give due attention to quality assurance mechanisms in addition to structural elements of the reform process.

The payoff of developing a small-scale phosphate mine and beneficiating operation in the Mbeya region of Tanzania

This study investigates the financial and economic viability of developing a small-scale phosphate mine and beneficiating operation for the distribution of rock phosphate to be used as a direct-application fertilizer by farmers in the Mbeya region of Tanzania. Local production of phosphate fertilizer would reduce both fertilizer shortages and foreign currency requirements through import substitution. It would also benefit the local economy by providing employment in the mining and beneficiating operation. Calculations based on preliminary data show that the development of the project would be highly beneficial for farmers, for the local economy of the region, and for the nation.

Irrational drug use in Tanzania

In June 1989 researchers interviewed 50 health workers from 3 rural health centers and 5 dispensaries and some of their patients in the Mbeya region of Tanzania. They also reviewed 1988 Essential Drug Programme (EDP) records and observed health workers to learn what factors influence inappropriate prescribing of drugs. Newly qualified health workers were more likely to accurately diagnose an illness and prescribe the correct drug for treatment than those qualified >6 years earlier (p<.05). Further long service and lack of a refresher course affected the likelihood of inaccurately diagnosing an illness (p<.001). In fact health workers who had attended a refresher course were 9 times more likely to accurately diagnose an illness and prescribe the correct treatment than those who did not. EDP treatment schedules were not available for 72% of the health workers. Those that had access to EDP treatment schedules had significantly better diagnostic skills than those without (p<.001). Some patients had diseases that required drugs which were not available in the EDP kit. Instead of advising them to buy the needed drugs from a local pharmacy or referring them to a district hospital some health workers under pressure from often influential people would give the drugs not indicated for the disease. Moreover 60% of health workers reported that some drugs in the EDP kits did not last 1 month. They attributed this to a too large catchment population for the health facility and the EDP kits were not stocked according to the prevalent diseases in the area. To make the drugs stretch 75% rationed drugs often by prescribing an underdose especially for malaria. This could be dangerous since this practice could cause malaria resistance. Improved supervision continuing education and educating the public could reduce irrational drug use.

A poliomyelitis survey the simple way: the Tanzanian experience.

A simple cost effective survey to assess the need for a rehabilitation service for individuals disabled by poliomyelitis was carried out making the maximum use of the existing government administration. The field team consisted solely of a medical officer and a health officer. The prevalence rate for paralytic poliomyelitis in the Mbeya region of Tanzania was 2.95/1000 persons. The rate for children under 10 years was 1.15/1000, suggesting that the expanded immunisation programme started in 1977 was being successful. With approximately 4000 cases of paralytic poliomyelitis in the Mbeya region a rehabilitation service would seem to be justified. If poliomyelitis surveys are required for rehabilitation purposes they must include all age groups. In this survey, had only school children been considered, as recommended by the World Health Organisation, two thirds of the cases would have been excluded, thereby hardly justifying a rehabilitation service.